Fugitive's girlfriend flees

Fugitive's girlfriend flees

Feb. 13, 2001

By Aspen C. Emmett
Journal Staff Writer

Every time the phone rings at Janet Gallegos’s home, her heart skips a beat.

Ever since her 15-year-old daughter Tabitha disappeared from her home Feb. 3, the day after the girl’s boyfriend escaped from custody at Montezuma County Court, Gallegos has been waiting for the other shoe to fall.

Nineteen-year-old Charles Martinez of Cortez, Tabitha’s boyfriend, fled from the courtroom at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 after learning that his bond had been set $50,000 on charges stemming from alleged drug possession and distribution.

Tabitha was reportedly in the courtroom at the time and attempted to stop Martinez as he ran from the building. She followed him outside, along with Martinez’s father, Bill, but both returned inside after they were unsuccessful in stopping him, an eyewitness said. Martinez has not been apprehended yet.

According to Gallegos, Tabitha was held at the sheriff’s office until 7 that evening. It was while Gallegos was in the shower the next morning that Tabitha left her home, leaving behind a note that said her boyfriend had been wrongly accused, she wasn’t going to lose him, and she would be back.

The first and only contact Gallegos said she has had with her daughter came Sunday morning at 10:19 a.m.

"She said, ‘I love you, mom, I love you, I love you. We’re in Texas,’ click," Gallegos said. "She was only on the phone for a minute."

Gallegos said she dialed "star 69" to see if she could locate the origin of the call but had no luck.

She said one of her biggest concerns is that the couple, if in Texas, will go across the border into Mexico.

"If they do that, there’s nothing we can do," Gallegos said.

The day Martinez escaped, law-enforcement officers reportedly searched Gallegos’s home, looking for him. Gallegos said the close connection the two have would inevitably encourage the police to keep a close eye on Tabitha if she were to return alone.

"I am really, really scared, and I think she’s scared also, that if she does come home, they’re going to make her life miserable until they find him," she said.

Gallegos also expressed that she thinks her daughter’s strong feelings for Martinez are warping the decisions Tabitha has made.

"I think he has a lot of pull," Gallegos said.

Martinez’s grandmother, Ernestine Martinez of Cortez, also made a plea for the couple to end their flight from authorities. "We would like Charles to come back," she said.

She added that this is the first time either of the young people has really been away from home and their well-being is a major concern for her.

However, Martinez’s family is also concerned that he has not received a "fair shake" from the beginning.

His father has since obtained a copy of the arrest affidavit that was issued by the Montezuma County sheriff’s office. The father said he closely read over the details of the affidavit that incriminated his son, and found a number of discrepancies.

According to the affidavit, an individual who said his name was "Joe" sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. "Joe" was described by the informant as six feet tall, approximately 170 to 180 pounds, about 25 years old and with a tattoo on the web of his right hand.

Charles Martinez is 5 feet 11 inches tall, 155 pounds, and 19. Martinez’s family said he has never gone by any name but Charles.

He does not have any tattoos on his hand, his father said. Furthermore, Martinez’s grandmother said the description fits one of his friends.

However, Charles Martinez was positively identified in a lineup by the informant, according to the affidavit.

Bill Martinez told the Journal he thinks his son fled because he was wrongly accused and didn’t have any money for an attorney to fight the allegations. He added that he doesn’t think his son is a dangerous person, as police have said. The father said he has had no contact with his son since the escape.

Cortez Police Chief Roy Lane said that he did not want to comment on any details of the arrest affidavit.

"We’ll present our case in court," Lane said.

Lane confirmed a report of Tabitha Gallegos as a runaway and reiterated that Charles Martinez is still a wanted suspect.

"We assume they’re together," Lane said.

Tabitha’s grandmother, Mary Gurule, said the situation is very scary and she hopes the girl will contact someone in her family as soon as possible.

"She’s only 15," Gurule said. "We’re very concerned because of the fact that she’s still young and has a lot of life ahead of her. We want her back."

Anyone who has information on Tabitha should call her mother at 565-9212, or the Cortez Police Department, 565-8441.